Basic rhythm device



IN VEN TOR.

POWER 4 A. A. BOBIS M; Q fw Km@ BASIC RHYTHM DEVICE Filed D60. 21, 1959 INPUT enamel. ).-76 Leann- July 6, 196s United States Patent 3,193,608 BASIC RHYTHM DEVICE Anthony A. Bobis, Elmhurst, Ill. (737 Farragut, Lockport, Ill.) Filed Dec. 21, 1959, Ser. No. 860,962 6 Claims. (Cl. 84-.1.03)

bass rhythm reduced the capability of the musician in lingering the keyboard. This duality in concentration also limited the musician in playing the basic rhythm.

A general object of the invention is to provide a novel simple self-contained unit which is adapted for connection to the amplifier of an organ or similar instrument and which provides a plurality of selected basic rhythms.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which incorporates a magazine structure comprising a plurality of spools which are individually insertable and removable, each spool carrying a basic rhythm which can be selectively switched on or'off by the player.

A different object of the invention is to provide a spool structure for holding an endless tape band, the structure including a novel guide arrangement for tapes of different length.

A more specific object of the invention is to devise a novel reproducing device which includes a motor driven mandrel driving the tape along a roller on the spool across a pick-up head which has an output switch-connected to a preamplifier which in turn has an output connected to the amplifier of the musical instrument.

These and other objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed by the invention will become more readily apparent from the specifications and the drawings, where- 1n:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of my noveldevice shown in association with an organ.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the basic rhythm device in part showing section 1*4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device taken essentially on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

. Y FIGURE 4 is a top edge view of one of the walls of a magazine.

FIGURE 5 is an interior side of the wall of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a top edge view of the other wall of the magazine.

FIGURE 7 is an exterior side view of the wall shown in FIGURE 6, and

FIGURE 8 is a schematic wiring diagram. v

Describing the invention in detail and having particular reference tok the drawings, there is kshown a basic rhythm reproducer generally designated 2 comprising a case 3 having top and bottom sides 4 and 5, end walls 6 and 7 and side walls 8 and 9 hinged at 10 and 11 respectively to the bottom wall 5.

The case or container 3 additionally comprises a pair of longitudinally spaced upright intermediate walls 12 and 13 connected to the top and bottom walls 4 and 5 and subdividing the case into end and intermediate compartments 14, 15 and 16 respectively.-

. The end compartment 14 houses an electric motor 18 which is supported by stand-olf brackets 19 from the intermediate wall 12 and is suitably geared to drive its output shaft 20 which is telescopically coupled by a spline arrangement 21 to one end of a center shaft 22 of a mandrel 23 which extends lengthwise of the case and is journaled adjacent to opposite ends from bearings 24 and 25 suitably mounted on the intermediate walls 12 and 13 of the case.

The mandrel 23 comprises an outer tubular sheath orY covering 25 preferably made of rubber-like material and engages and drives a plurality of tapes 26, 26 which are spaced longitudinally of the mandrel, each tape being mounted in an associated carrier, holder or spool generally indicated 27.

The spools 27 are of identical construction and are positioned in side by side relation in the magazine compartment 16 and each comprises a pair of upright side walls 28 and 29 which extend transversely of the mandrel. The wall 28 is-provided on its interior side with a plurality of vertical ribs 30, 31, 32 and a guide block 34. The members through 34 are spaced transversely of the mandrel and provide intervening vertical guide slots4 35, 36, and 37 open at their top and bottom ends and provide a Vguide for different size of endless magnetic tapes or belts 26 upon which are reproduced various basic rhythms such as the tango, fox trot, waltz, polka,.etc. In each magazine 27 there is provided a guide bar- 40, 41 and 42 spaced below and vertically aligned with bars 30, 31, 32 for guiding the lower run 43 of the related tape 26. The rear run 44 of tape 26 in FIGURE 3 is shown in the groove 45 defined between the side walls of the magazine and the rib 30, said run 44 continuing into the run 43 which extends into the front run 46 which passes between the forward edge 47 of the block 34 and the rear edge 48 of and upwardly tapering guide member 49 on the inner side of the wall 28 of the magazine 27, the edges 47 and 48 defining with the adjacent sides of the walls 28 and 29 a diagonal upwardly extending and forwardly open guide passageway or slot 50 which positions the front run 46 of the recording beltvagainst the yieldable backing member 51 which is secured to the vertical portion 52 of the forward edge 47 of block 34. The front run 46 of the belt passes over a roller 53 and loops over the roller and continues as a top run 54 in the slot between the upper portions ofthe side walls 28 and 29.

It will be noted that the upper portions 57 and 58 of the walls 2S and 29 are vrecessed to accommodate the roller 53 therebetween, said roller being mounted on a generally horizontal shaft 59 which extends through apertures 60 and 61 of walls 28 and 29, which are removably secured to each other by screws 60.

The roller 53 extends forwardly of the lfront edge of the magazine and pressesthe belt into contact with the mandrel 23 attendant to the magazine being inserted into the chamber 16 with the base edge 62 bearing against the top side 63 of the bottom wall 5 of the casing and the base lug structure 64, which projects from the forward bottom corner of the magazine, being entered under the lip 65 of the locking clamp 66 which has a spacer web 67 secured to and depending fromy the lip and connected to Patented July 6, 1965A a mounting flange 63 which is fastened by screws or'the like to the bottom wall 5 of the casing. Simultaneously, with the lug structure 64 being entered into clamp 66, therrearwardly extending lug structure 69 at the lower rear corner of the magazine is engaged with the interior side 70 of the wall 8 and clamped downwardly by the overlaying flange 7l of the locking bar 71 mounted upon the interior 70 of the wall 8.

It will be seen from a consideration of FIGURES 2 and 3 and the previous description that the magazines are quickly interchangeable simply by opening and closing the door or wall 8 and withdrawing or inserting the appropriate magazine.

The mandrel 23 drives the belts, as indicated by the arrow, between the backing member 51 and the associated pick-up head 72 which is mounted by a bracket 73 on the lower wall 5 of the case.

Each head 72 is connected through a common lead 74 and an individual lead 75 to a switch 76 which is connected to the input of the preamplifier '77 housed in cornpartment of the case, the preamplifier being connected through a volume control 73 to the amplifier 79 of the musical unit such as the organ 80 shown in FIGURE l.

The preamplifier and motor may be tied into the circuit as shown in FIGURE 8.

Having thus described a preferred form of the invention it will be understood that various other forms will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art within the scope of the following claims by which I intend to cover such modifications.

. I claim:

1. A basic rhythm reproducing device comprising a housing having end and intermediate compartments, a motor and preampliiier mounted in said end compartments, respectiveiy, a rotatable mandrel disposed in driven relation to the motor and extending through said intermediate compartment between Said end compartments, a plurality of magazines mounted side by side transversely of the mandrel and each having a tape carrying a different recorded rhythm, said tapes engaging said mandrel and driven thereby, a pick-up head operatively associated with each tape and connected to the preamplier, and switching means between the preamplier and each head for selectively interconnecting the same, and said magazines each having forwardly and rearwardly extending locking lugs, and said housing having a locking clamp engaging one of the lugs, and said housing having a hinged wall swingable into engagement with the other locking lug attendant to closing the housing and urging said magazine into position engaging the tapes with the mandrel.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a housing including a base and an upright side wall, a mandrel supported in the housing generally parallel to said wall, means hinging said wall to the base for swinging movement toward and away with respect to the mandrel, a magazine interposed between the mandrel and said wall and having aural reproducing means including a driven part engageable with the mandrel, and said wall having means engaging the magazine and urging it into engaged position of the driven part with the mandrel attendant to swinging of said wall to closed position with respect to the housing, and said magazine having a lug directed away from said wall, and said housing having means receiving said lug coincident with the driven part of said magazine being urged into engaged position with the mandrel upon said wall being swung to closed position.

3. The combination of a housing having top and bottom, end and side walls, at least one of said side walls hinged to an adjacent wall of the housing for swinging movement between closed and open positions, driving means including a mandrel mounted in the housing, aural reproducing means including pick-up means, a magazine with a tape interposed between said one wall and said mandrel,

said one wall having means engaging said magazine and urging the latter, which siides upon the bottom wall, into engaged position of the tape with said mandrel and associated pick-up means, said housing and said magazine having interengaging portions disposed and held in interlocked position in consequence of said magazine being urged with a rectilinear sliding movement into said engaged postion, said interengaging portions being on the bottom wall of the housing.

4. In a device of the class described, a housing, pickup means therein, a mandrel drive therein, a plurality of magazines in side by side relation along the mandrel drive each magazine having front and rear edges and comprislng a pair of mating side members having outwardly stepped upper portions defining a groove therebetween, a roller rotatably mounted from the side members within the groove and projecting outwardly from said front edge, guide means on at least one of said walls, and a tape with a basic rhythm recorded thereon mounted between said side members and projecting through said front edge of said magazine for cooperation with theV associated pick-up means and threaded through said guide means over the roller and engaged with the manv drive member extending longitudinally of the casing, a`

plurality of magazines each being a generally at substantially rectangular structure extending transversely of the drive member, said magazines disposed in side by side relation, each magazine comprising a movably supported endless tape opposing the drive member, and means on the casing operatively engaging each magazine and urging the same transversely of the drive member into engaged position of the tape therewith, and said magazines each having a plurality of locking elements thereon, said magazines being movable rectilinearly to engaged position with the drive member, said casing having a wall extending in a plane lying along the direction of movement of the magazines and generally parallel with said drive member and having locking means thereon, said magazines in the engaged position of the tapes having certain of said elements interengaging with the locking means on said wall, said casing having another wall angularly related to the first-mentioned wall, and other locking means on said other wall locking with other of said locking elements on the magazines.

6. A basic rhythm device comprising a casing member, a pick-up instrumentality therein at one side thereof, a Stack of magazine members each including a repreducing medium cooperatively associated with the instrumentality, and interengaging means on the casing and magazine members positioning the latter into said association with the instrumentality, each magazine member individually changeable as to its position in the stack and removable from the stack, each of said interengaging means comprising oppositely extending lugs on one of said members and complementary receiving and interlocking means on the other of said members, said magazine members being slidable rectilinearly with respect to said lugs, and means on said casing member biasing said magazine members into operative position with said instrumentality and sliding said magazine members into interlocked position of one of the lugs and having means clamping the other of the lugs on each magazine.

(References on foliowing page) 5 References Cited by the Examiner 2,899,507 UNITED STATES PATENTS fggg 12/32 Bafkelew 226-119 3,001,025

5/50 shrader 179-1002 5 8/52 Pattyn 84-1.28 7/53 Daniel 179-1001 X 53 12/54 Miller 226-118 3481 4/56 Mum'oe 226-118 1/58 Gaubert 179-1002 10 6/59 MacDonald 179-1002 6 8/59 Martel 179-1002 9/60 Dubois 179-1002 4/ 61 Pouliart et a1. 226-118 9/61 Gaubert n 179-1002 FOREIGN PATENTS 9/55 Italy.

IRVING L. SRAGOW, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT H. ROSE, ELI I. SAX, Examiners. 

1. A BASIC RHYTHM REPRODUCING DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING END AND INTERMEDIATE COMPARTMENTS, A MOTOR AND PREAMPLIFIER MOUNTED IN SAID END COMPARTMENTS, RESPECTIVELY, A ROTATABLE MANDREL DISPOSED IN DRIVEN RELATION TO THE MOTOR AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID INTERMEDIATE COMPARTMENT BETWEEN SAID END COMPARTMENTS, A PLURALITY OF MAGAZINES MOUNTED SIDE BY SIDE TRANSVERSELY OF THE MANDREL AND EACH HAVING A TAPE CARRYING A DIFFERENT RECORDED RHYTHM, SAID TAPES ENGAGING SAID MANDREL AND DRIVEN THEREBY, A PICK-UP HEAD OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH EACH TAPE AND CONNECTED TO THE PREAMPLIFIER, AND SWITCHING MEANS BETWEEN THE PREAMPLIFIER AND EACH HEAD FOR SELECTIVELY INTERCONNECTING THE SAME, AND SAID MAGAZINES EACH HAVING FORWARDLY AND REARWARDLY EXTENDING LOCKING LUGS, AND SAID HOUSING HAVING A LOCKING CLAMP ENGAGING ONE OF THE LUGS, AND SAID HOUSING HAVING A HINGED WALL SWINGABLE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OTHER LOCKING LUG ATTENDANT TO CLOSING THE HOUSING AND URGING SAID MAGAZINE INTO POSITION ENGAGING THE TAPES WITH THE MANDREL. 